Holy Knights - Between Daylight and Pain

Haven't heard some really great power metal in a while. Luckily Holy Knights came along from Italy to kick my fat ass.It's a testament to the talents of those involved that Sicilian power metalllers Holy Knights was able to put out their follow-up album to 2002's Gate Through The Past in spite of the inner turmoil the band has endured - something that delayed their sophomore effort for so long - in the last ten years. And I say this because 2012's Between Daylight and Pain is just fucking awesome. Sounding kind of like a cross between Symphony X and Angra, Holy Knights knows how to craft epic songs with everything you'd expect from the genre. Keyboardist/vocalist Dario Di Matteo sounds great, reminding me of the powerful voice of André Matos (Angra), while guitarist/bassist Simone Campione shreds all over the place, backed by the rhythm of Claudio Florio's thunderous drums. It's amazing that just 3 guys make music that sounds like a band twice this size.

There's a slight progressive element to it all, and a fair bit of orchestration that belies their expected Italian influence. Be warned, this is classic power metal, so if you're not prepared for the bombastic nature of the genre, you may be turned off. But while Rags is more the power metal guy between the two of us, I can easily get caught up in the energy of it all; the galloping rhythms, the fiery shredding of the abundant keyboard/guitar solos, the balls-out quasi-operatic wailing - it's all here, man. And it kicks ass.

The Bottom Line: Power metal fans (and Holy Knights fans especially) rejoice, for thy deliverance hath come. Holy Knights is here to rock you in a sonic maelstrom, and you're gonna love every minute of it.

Tracks to Air Jam to Until Your Hands Cramp: Mistery, 11 September, Awake

- Genghis broke out into a sweat jamming to this album...